one...not many bumps

[coldsoresteve]

anyone know if cold sores can appear as a single "bump" as opposed to a "cluster" as is often described in these forums?

i have two sores, one on the left side of my lower lip (on the skin not the lip itself) and a matching one on the right hand side that is running about 3 or 4 days behind the first one.

bit of pain before you see anything, looks like a pimple (white pus), popped it and it dried out and crusted over. not as big and gross as the cold sore pics online so I thought (hoped) it might be something treatable and non-contagious.

the first one is almost gone, just a small painless red mark/bump/scar (its been about a week)

[slacker101]

Exactly, if you suspect it is an HSV outbreak by all means get it cultured.

[christine1983]

you should get them cultured.

[coldsoresteve]

thanks for the response. as much as i would like to think its just a pimple i'm pretty sure its not as i don't get pimples elsewhere on my face and these bumps seems to come back to the same basic area below my lip over and over.

what are your thoughts on the single bump vs cluster?

[slacker101]

If it's on both sides of the face it probably isn't herpes. Herpes picks a side and sticks with it. The inital outbreak can occur on both sides of the body but recurrence USUALLY happens on one side. Sounds like a pimple.